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Is Peyronie's really a disease or is it more a condition or syndrome?It really bugs me that Peyronie's is called a disease. It is not caused by a Virus or Bacteria, it is not Cancer, it is not really a disease at all. So why is it labeled as a disease? When we think of STD's (sexually transmitted disease) there is a stigma that accompanies these conditions. Peyronie's is not communicable or contagious, you can't give it to someone else.

So what is Peyronie's? Well, if you are suffering from this affliction, you know it causes deformity, it is painful, it damages your self esteem and image as a man. There is the fear factor that accompanies this syndrome, which is often followed by detachment and anger. I remember asking myself, "Why Me?" and thinking, "This isn't fair!" When my doctor and urologist told me I had a disease, it hit me hard. I was devastated! When they told me the gold standard of treatment was surgery, and that I was a good candidate, I fell into depression and was inconsolable. It was at this point that I decided to do something pro-active. Let's take a look now at what this syndrome really is.

Scar tissue, Skin changes, & Lumps: This is what really generates fear. Men often think they are developing cancer. This condition is actually caused by a build up of plaque at the site of micro injuries. Over time this plaque hardens into scar tissue and can form a lump or deformity which adheres to the sheath (Tunica Albugenia) that houses the erectile tissue (Corpus Cavernosum). If left untreated, the plaque will calcify and become a hard lump, feeling like a pea sized bump or tumor under the skin.

Pain: Pain is most often experienced, when you are getting an erection. Some men experience continuous pain. This is a result of the scar tissue that is not pliable, like the rest of the penis, adhering to the normal tissue of the penis. During the process of erection the nerves are letting you know that something is wrong by signaling pain. Although rare, the plaque can adhere to nerves, that will cause constant pain.

Curvature/Bending: This is the embarrassing part of Peyronie's and it can really inhibit satisfying sexual intercourse. Think of one of those long balloons that entertainers twist and tie into all kinds of shapes for children at fairs and festivals. If you think of your penis as one of those balloons it makes it easy to imagine how this bending occurs. The balloon is straight or may have some natural curve, but it is normal. Now take a piece of duct tape and put it on one side of the balloon. When it is blown up the balloon will curve around the tape that adheres to it's side, causing a bend. That is what the scar tissue is doing to your penis. The scar is not pliable (like the duct tape) but the penis is pliable (like the balloon) so the penis bends around the scar.

Erectile Dysfunction (ED): Partial or complete erectile dysfunction sometimes accompanies Peyronie's. This can be psychological or physiological. The mind is a big part of sex, and embarrassment and perception can often cause ED. There is also the physical aspect of the plaque becoming so large that it causes ED by invading the erectile tissue and blocking circulation to the penis after the plaque.

All of this is definitely an affliction & a syndrome but it isn't a "disease". So I want to set you mind at ease. You didn't do anything to be ashamed or embarrassed of. The cause at this point is beyond your control. It is important to accept what you cannot change and not to wrestle with misplaced guilt. Don't hold on to anger and resentment, butbe proactive in your treatment. Seek help and support from your Loved ones, and develop a plan of action. This condition will not go away by itself. Ignoring the problem or pretending like it does not exist, is the worst course of inaction. Remember with Peyronie's, time without treatment is your enemy. The best time to take action, and prevent surgery is in the earlier acute stages, when the plaque/scar has not calcified.

This video is very informative, but there is a disturbing message, about one of the leading new causes of Peyronie's Disease.Injections for erectile dysfunction

I have heard a lot of advertisements about the treatment of erectile dysfunction on the radio recently. This treatment method involves injection of a drug, Alprostadil. One of the warnings is; do not receive injections if you have abnormal curvature or genetic penis defects.

Alprostadil injections are self administered and effective in giving erections in over 80% of men. Self administering an injection though, could be considered risky. Men are given instructions by their doctor or nurse on how to inject themselves. There is also a suppository form of the drug that is less effective, but also a drastically reduces risk of damage to the penis.

The first injection should be administered by the doctor in his office. The following injections will be done by the patient in his home. The problem I see with this method, is a man has to inject himself every time he is going to have intercourse. The chances for injury and internal damage could be cumulative, and increase over time.

Injection therapy for erectile dysfunction is resorted to after oral treatment has failed, (Sildenafil, Viagra, Cialis, Levitra) or, due to preexisting medical conditions, a patient cannot take PDE5 inhibitor meds.

Low Testosterone Causes and Natural Cures:There is a high incidence of men with Peyronie's Disease, that also having low testosterone. This is not surprising, when you consider that low testosterone levels are linked to slower healing in the body. Testosterone is the male hormone that defines masculinity. It is what makes us men. Some of the symptoms of Low T are:

Decrease in energy

That old broken run-down feeling

Loss of stamina

Low libido

General irritability

Lack of concentration

Decrease in muscle tone

Increase in body fat, even with reduced caloric intake.

The worst part about low T, is if you don't do something proactive to change things, you will end up with even worse symptoms, like thinning hair, a higher voice, your balls will become smaller and shrivel up and your penis will become smaller. Coming down with Peyronie's may be a huge Wake-Up call, to make those necessary changes in your lifestyle.

Testosterone production in the body is at its' maximum during late adolescence and early adulthood. After age 30, the body starts tapering off testosterone production by around 1% per year. Sometime in our mid to late 30's almost all men experience a change that we chalk up to a reduction of our metabolism. Suddenly you can't just eat whatever you like and not gain weight. You may notice reduced vitality and energy, that you had in your early adult years. There is an epidemic of low testosterone in men over the age of 40 in society today. Many of the causes can be chalked up to environmental hazards.

The produce you buy at the grocery store is drenched with pesticides. Many crops are treated multiple times before reaching market. The top dirty dozen produce offenders are:

Apples; remember the old adage, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Well apples are treated multiple times with different types of pesticides before they go into your mouth.

Celery

Strawberries

Peaches

Spinach, that dark green leafy vegetable that made Popeye so strong.

Imported Nectarines

imported Grapes

Sweet Bell Peppers

Potatoes

Blueberries, the berry that is touted for all of its' antioxidant qualities.

Lettuce

Kale and Collard Greens, who would have known?Pesticides are one of the main culprits for producing the hormones that mimic estrogen in the male body.

Estrogen wipes out the benefits of Testosterone, so the manly thing to do is eat organic produce. OK there are those guys that have an almost exclusive diet of meat. Surely those guys are safe from Estrogen? Think about it . . . what do those animals eat? Feed that has been treated with pesticides, growth hormones, and antibiotics, so you still get your estrogen, along with more than you bargained for. Just like breathing 2nd hand smoke. You have to go back to free range organic chicken, grass fed beef and maybe hunt wild animals to get healthy meat. Fish should be harvested wild, from cold water, and not be farm raised like much of the Atlantic Salmon.Plasticsare next, they contain phthalates that also mimic the female hormone estrogen. It is impossible to get away from plastics in our society. The water you drink comes in a plastic bottle. The water going to your home comes in a plastic pipe. Almost every food you purchase comes wrapped in plastic. Canned foods are no better. The inside of cans are coated with BPA, which has an estrogenic hormone affect on those that eat the food. Bisphenol A (BPA) leaches into the food when heated. Most all canned foods are filled with hot food during the canning process. These phthalates attack your bodies ability to produce testosterone.

Soy and Soy Milkhave been promoted as the healthy answer for milk and meat replacement. It began with Tofu eating Hippies in the late 60's, and has grown into a huge industry. There is a big problem with Soy. It contains phyto-estrogens that have proven harmful to men's ability to produce testosterone. These estrogenic compounds cannot be removed by boiling or cooking. Fermenting Soy to make Tofu, does not remove these compounds. Soy protein powder should not be taken. Many other vegetables and peanuts, contain these hormone compounds, but they are reduced or eliminated through cooking. Soy can be eaten in Miso, Tempeh and in Natto, where bacterial enzymes break down the saponin enzymes which then are effective in reducing cholesterol in the blood.

We are seeing the feminizing of men at an unprecedented rate in today's technological world. It's time to fight back. Don't lose your masculinity.

Low T Therapy or Testosterone replacement therapy should not be undertaken to correct this problem.It can leave you worse off, than before it began. Testosterone replacement in the form of pills, creams and patches will boost your T levels, but your body will shut down its' own natural process of producing free testosterone and your testicles will begin to atrophy (shrivel up). The best way to improve Testosterone production is to use natural ways to increase production.

So Let's Get Started!

First off, We begin with Diet! That doesn't just mean changing the food you eat, it also means going on a diet to lose that belly fat. Excess fat absorbs almost all of the Testosterone your body produces and then stores it, where it is useless. So begin by limiting caloric intake immediately. Just stop putting so much food on that plate. Practice pushing away from the table. OK . . enough said, just practice portion control.

Next we change the kinds of food we eat. Go into warrior mode and think, "Sugar and Carbs are my Enemies!" Start by only purchasing and eating organic produce. Yeah, I know it is more expensive, but the cost of major medical care down the road will offset the extra expense now. Maybe you can eat more backyard produced fruit, or plant some trees and grow a garden. The best way to eat healthy is be sure about where and how your food is grown and harvested.

This is a really good time to stop smoking. Smoking lowers Nitric Oxide, which is your erections best friend. The damaging effects of smoking are slow and cumulative. They build up over time. Smoking will lead to a bedroom train wreck that is dose and time related. The more time you smoke and the more packs of cigarettes you smoke add up to sustained erectile dysfunction, but the process is reversible if you stop smoking now.

Remember the Marlboro man? He died of lung cancer. My wife and I lost a good friend to lung cancer, and believe me, it is not a pleasant way to go. I still have vivid memories of listening to Pat cough and gasp, trying to catch another breath.Next we move on to the part I really despise. This is something many of us avoid and that is physical exercise. Why is it so hard to get into a exercise program? Well because it Hurts! That's why! The kind of exercise that boosts Testosterone isn't just going for a walk or a short jog. If you really want to boost you testosterone levels, you need to lift heavy weights. Hit the weights hard:Consistent,
heavy weight lifting helps the body build muscle and produce
testosterone. Don't spend your time on the treadmill, lift weights
and work on the bench press. Packing on muscle and bulking up, increases
testosterone production.

Hurts So Good - Strength Training increases Testosterone

After Diet and Lifestyle changes we also can boost Testosterone production with supplements. This one will use the

Green Light,(Take this one) Science and Medical studies back up the effectiveness of this supplement.

Yellow Light(Caution, the Jury is still out on this one)

Red Light (No clinical evidence that it does anything)

Zinc:A study was done with two groups of men, one group had low testosterone and the second group had normal levels. The low T group had an increase in testosterone and sperm count with oral administration of zinc. The group with normal levels did not show an increase. The indication of the study is, Zinc will raise low levels of testosterone to normal, but not above that level. Doctors have seen a correlation between low zinc levels and low testosterone levels for decades now. Zinc is a definite one to take. Dosage Guideline:Patients in the study took 30 mg zinc monomethionine aspartate daily. Taking too much zinc can cause nausea, upset stomach, and vomiting. It is not recommended to ingest more than 40 mg. daily. Taking more than 100 mg. daily for ten years or more doubles the risk of prostate cancer.

Avena Sativa: Oat grass or Wild Oats may free up testosterone that gets stuck in various compounds in the body. The link of Avena Sativa to Testosterone may be hearsay. I was not able to find any scientific studies to back up its' use. The juries out on this one.

Nepal Yam: or Discorea Deltoidea is said to boost hormone levels from the pituitary gland. The rise in luteinizing hormones may or may not help raise testosterone levels. There is the possibility that yam may raise estrogen levels. The problem with Yam is, steroids can be manufactured from them (both Testosterone and Estrogen). You do not receive any hormone benefit by ingesting yams or yam extract directly.

Vitamin D:Go outside and catch some rays, this is the best and most natural way to get a healthy dose of Vitamin D. Americans have a chronic Vit. D deficiency, due to lifestyle. Most of us spend too much time indoors. Vitamin D stimulate the release of free testosterone, which improves sex drive, reduces fatigue and improves well being. If you cannot get enough sun exposure due to work, climate or other reasons, then taking a well-made supplement is essential. Dosage Guideline:Expose a large portion of your skin to sunlight until it turns the very lightest shade of pink. Do this as close to solar noon as possible to get the maximum dose in the shortest time.

Tongkat Ali: I'm going to spend a little extra time on this one, because it has shown a lot of promise in medical studies and is endorsed by many medical doctors. Tongkat Ali reduces cortisol levels and increases free testosterone levels in numerous medical studies. Tongkat Ali is a rare herb found only in the lush virgin tropical
rainforest of Indonesia and Malaysia. You can easily raise your testosterone level to youthful
level and enjoy these benefits.

A high sex drive and libido

Longer, harder and more spontaneous erection

Improve muscle mass and strength

A boost in energy and vitality

Increase bone mineral density

A sense of well being

Improve cognitive function

How do purchase the right Tongkat Ali?
After all, not all manufacturer's produce a high quality and pure
product. There are several things that you should not compromise, when
buying Tongkat Ali.

Extract Strength
is important 100 to 1 or 200 to 1 is best. Some are only 5 to 1 or 10
to 1 and will not work, they are too low. Extract strength means that
200 grams of root were used to make 1 gram of extract.

Tongkat Ali extract only
is the best product. Do not buy Tongkat Ali powder, as the strength is
1 to 1 with ground up root powder. You would have to ingest too much
to get the same results as extract, which has been concentrated. Extract
gives you concentrations of 100 to 1 or 200 to 1.

Buy Indonesian Tongkat Ali, Chinese
Tongkat Ali has a high level of heavy metals and there is no guarantee
that the roots are even Tongkat Ali, or some other plant. Some argue
that Indonesian Tongkat Ali, is the best, others say there is no
difference between Indonesian and Malaysian. Indonesia is the only
place where Tongkat Ali grows wild.

Tongkat Ali Roots

Roots that are from old plants
are the best. 10 years minimum make the best extract. Older roots
have more active ingredients and increase the extract strength and
effectiveness.

I
have done a lot of research into brands of Tongkat Ali and finally
found one that meets all of the criteria above. You can click on the
link below to purchase it there.

Dosage Guideline:

The recommended usage is 4 capsules per day: 2 in the morning and 2
in the afternoon. However, this may be a little too high for some users,
specially if this is the first time you start taking the product. I
recommend starting with half the dosage until you feel that your body is
OK with it (that is, you don’t feel agitated or restless). Then you may
increase to the standard 4 capsules per day.

I suggest that you experiment a little with the dosage as Tongkat Ali
doesn’t work the same for all individuals (neither does any other
supplement or medication). You may notice that you experience the
desired effects taking only 2 or 3 capsules per day, and that is totally
fine, stick to it. Some other individuals (specially bodybuilders) may
find a higher dosage more suited for the results they look for.

The effects of Tongkat Ali accumulate gradually. However, it is also
important to leave a “resting period” to avoid your body getting
accustomed to Tongkat Ali. It is recommended to rest half the time you
take Tongkat Ali. For example: If you take it for 4 days in a row, rest
2. Or if you take it for 2 days, rest on the third, then take it for
another 2, then rest on the third, etc.If you are taking Tongkat Ali long term, I believe it is a good idea
to let your body rest for a longer period after 2-3 months of cycles
(you can take a one month break or so).

Fenugreek:Fenugreek seeds are super popular for increasing testosterone, but they also are believed to block DHT (dihydrotestosterone)Medical study results were completely inconclusive in showing any change in steroidal hormone levels in test subjects. They did reduce fertility in animal studies on both sexes of rabbits. Taking Fenugreek to increase Testosterone is a bad idea, even though it is highly touted by some supplement manufacturers. Fenugreek is effective in reducing blood glucose levels in one study.

Creatine: Creatine is cheap and effective. This is borne out in more than 70 peer reviewed human studies. Studies show that Creatine improves physical power output, improves cellular hydration and induces lean body mass, while decreasing fatigue. Creatine increases DHT levels which in too high levels can cause male pattern baldness and prostate enlargement. So Creatine should not be taken in large doses. Competitive weight lifters commonly take more than 5 grams daily. Dosage Guideline: 3 grams daily for a month, then take 2 weeks off completely - Repeat CAUTION: Creatine increases cellular hydration, so you are using water more efficiently while supplementing. Make sure and drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration or water retention. Too much Creatine is hard on the kidneys, just like too much food makes you fat and too many vitamins are toxic. Don't overload on Creatine, remember too much of a good thing turns into a negative.

Green Tea: Green tea is found in some Testosterone supplements, and it is healthy to drink a glass of green tea from time to time. There is no evidence for Green tea helping to boost testosterone, in fact, chronic use of Green tea resulted in higher levels of aromatase in rats, which raises levels of estrogen and lower levels of testosterone. Consuming green tea for its' anti- inflammatory qualities is healthy, but chronic use, should be avoided. Tea tree oil should be avoided, as it is concentrated and has been found to introduce phyto-estrogens into the body.

Coffee/Caffeine: Caffeine gives you that energy kick in the morning and enhances mental clarity. Coffee also helps to control appetite. Caffeine is found in some Testosterone supplements. Its' effect on Testosterone in men is minimal, there was a very a slight increase, with moderate use. Women were found to have a slight reduction in testosterone production with caffeine. Dosage Guildelines: 3 cups of coffee a day amounts to around 250 mg. of caffeine and seems to be a healthy level of consumption.

Horny Goat Weed: Well this one has been extensively studied on rats and humans. The name comes from sheep and goat that became quite amorous after eating the plant. (Epimedium) Rats developed healthier genitals and had higher levels of testosterone and it had an anti-depressant effect on the rats in the studies.

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About Me

If you are reading this you probably are suffering, or know someone that is afflicted with Peyronie's disease. This site is here to let you know that you are not alone.
I hope you spend the time to go through the website here and learn all that you can about this condition. You have my prayers and best wishes for a complete recovery.
Thank you and God Bless,